Norsemen keep district qualifier streak going - Get all 10 in again

Jim Ellis / jellis@miaminewsrecord.com

Monday

Feb 18, 2019 at 10:09 AM

PARSONS, Kan. — Once again, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M will have all of its wrestlers competing in the NJCAA National Championship.

The Norsemen, who won the team title at Saturday’s West Central District with 186 points, had three individual winners (Alex Porter, Zeke Silva and Antonio Andrade), five runner-up finishes (Mason Naifeh, Boo Dryden, Corbin Nirschl, Kendon Lee and Alex Kauffman) and a pair of thirds (Kyle Caldwell and Kalin Winkler).

"It wasn't the prettiest region title, but we still managed to get the job done," said Norse coach Joe Renfro. We've got some work to do and we're already on it."

This is the sixth straight year since 2013 that NEO has won the district title and advanced all 10 wrestlers to the national tournament, which will be March 1-2 in the Mid-America Center at Council Bluffs, Iowa.

NEO has won national championships in 2014, 2016 and 2018, fifth in 2015 and third in 2017.

Dryden, Lee, Kauffman and Silva will be making a second straight trip to Council Bluffs.

Lee was third at 149 a year ago, Dryden fourth at 125, Kauffman fifth at 184 and Silva seventh at 197.

Lee was a third-team All-American and Dryden and Kauffman received honorable mention.

Dryden received the tournament’s most falls award with five.

Northwest Kansas Technical College was second in the team standings with 176.5 points. The Mavericks had nine qualifiers and four firsts.